Invasion of flies, mosquitoes

When you take a step outside the first thing you want to notice is the beautiful scenery, or maybe admire the green on the trees.

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By ASHLEY BROOKSTribune Correspondent

Cheboygan Daily Tribune - Cheboygan, MI

By ASHLEY BROOKSTribune Correspondent

Posted Jun. 14, 2013 at 12:01 AM

By ASHLEY BROOKSTribune Correspondent

Posted Jun. 14, 2013 at 12:01 AM

When you take a step outside the first thing you want to notice is the beautiful scenery, or maybe admire the green on the trees.

Not this year. Instead, the numerous amount of insect bites one receives will take precedence over everything else.

Living in Northern Michigan, residents are used to these annoying insects, but it seems like they have multiplied into thousands this year.

Howard Russell, an entomologist at the Michigan State University Entomology Department, said there is a reason why there are so many mosquitoes and black flies this year.

“Black flies develop where there is plenty of clean and fresh water, streams, and rivers, which is why they are more common in Northern Michigan,” he said.

Also, it didn’t help that this past winter was extremely long and was followed with an early and wet spring, which makes more flies and mosquitoes

“In 2012, spring was not nearly as wet and that’s why the mosquitoes weren’t as bad as they are this year. Because of the amount of snow we had this year and the wetness of early spring, the spring mosquitoes came early and now the summer mosquitoes are here to stay as well,” Russell said.